Apple believed to have sold over 11 million iPhones this quarter

Apple come next month is expected to announce -- by far -- the most successful quarter for iPhone sales in the handset's history, according to one Wall Street analyst who raised his price target on the company to $260 per share.

Calling Apple stock a "must-own technology bellwether," Broadpoint.AmTech analyst Brian Marshall issued a research note to clients on Monday defending his well-above-consensus iPhone quarterly shipment estimates of 11.3 million units for the three-month period ending December.

That figure is nearly 30% higher than the Street's thinking of about 8.8 million units and would represent a more than 50% increase in sales over the previous quarter, when the Cupertino-based company sold a record 7.4 million iPhones.

Marshall's prediction takes into account assumptions that domestic iPhone activations through AT&T may slip 20% seasonally from the September quarter to just 2.5 million units. However, he's banking on a more than 100% sequential increase in international sales to 8.8 million units, noting that Research In Motion grew its international business by 40% sequentially during its recently-ended November quarter, in which it sold a record 10 million BlackBerries.

"Despite the enormous success of the iPhone since inception in July 07, we strongly believe the device is still in its infancy with respect to penetrating the global post-paid subscriber market, " he wrote. "For example, our analysis indicates that while the iPhone currently enjoys 5.0% penetration of [AT&T's] post-paid subscriber base, the penetration of its current international carrier partners post-paid subscriber base is only 0.8%."

More specifically, the analyst said he believes the iPhone has the best opportunities in international territories with at least USD $20,000 per capita income.

"In our view, Apple remains the best technology company on the planet, and we are comfortable with our Street-high December '09 estimates of $12,509 million [in revenue] and $2.27 [in per share earnings]," Marshall said.

The analyst reiterated his Buy rating on shares of the iPhone maker, raising his price target to $260 per share.

Separately on Monday, Thomas Weisel analyst Doug Reid also raised his price target on Apple shares by $5 to $250 after weekend checks at the company's retail stores suggested that sales of iPhones and iMacs have been stronger than previously anticipated.

In particular, he said, the iPhone is seeing greater-than-expected success as a holiday gift option. Still, he's figuring more conservative than his colleagues at Broadpoint.AmTech, estimating December quarter unit sales of 8.21 million to 8.89 million units.

The last AppleInsider article was about AT&T not selling iPhones online in NY/NJ area.

I reasoned it was because AT&T couldn't handle the NY/NJ holiday iPhone customer traffic and Apple wanted those people in THEIR stores and their web site to buy other things.

So in order to 'share the load' a excuse is made up to direct customers to Apple's stores or their web page instead, this time it's a "fraud problem", like AT&T really has a problem with that having sold millions of phones over the years and seen every sort of scam possible, then restricting the sale of only one product to only to one certain highly population dense geographical area during a peak buying season. Duh!

So this confirms my reasoning. It's not the first time AT&T has somehow used a excuse to lighten traffic to it's stores or websites concerning the iPhone.

Really deep down inside, AT&T considers the iPhone "just another phone" like all the others they sell and they rather not have foaming at the mouth Apple types in their stores.

Also Apple needs to split the stock again, the recession isn't denting it one bit.

The danger is that we sleepwalk into a world where cabals of corporations control not only the mainstream devices and the software on them, but also the entire ecosystem of online services around...

Apple come next month is expected to announce -- by far -- the most successful quarter for iPhone sales in the handset's history, according to one Wall Street analyst who raised his price target on the company to $260 per share.

This sentence needs more work than it received. I think it easily qualifies as a run-on sentence, and the first part is awkward as well.

Here are a few iterations that seem to work much better:

Come next month, Apple is expected to announce the most successful quarter for iPhone sales, by far, in the handset's history, according to one Wall Street analyst who raised his price target on the company to $260 per share.

Apple is expected to announce the most successful quarter for iPhone sales in the handset's history, according to one Wall Street analyst who raised his price target on the company to $260 per share.

One Wall Street analyst expects Apple announce the most successful quarter ever for iPhone sales. The analyst also raised his price target on the company to $260 per share.

Both the King of Prussia (Philadelphia) and Cherry Hill (New Jersey) Apple stores were packed to the gills everytime I went past. And, I mean to the point where you had a hard time walking around in them.

"Despite the enormous success of the iPhone since inception in July 07, we strongly believe the device is still in its infancy with respect to penetrating the global post-paid subscriber market, " he wrote.

Last quarter, Mr. Marshall was close in his iPhone sales prediction (7.2m vs. 7.37m actual) but still lost to the non-pros (Muller, Deagol, Zaky). Mr. Marshall though was closest on revenue and EPS but still underestimated the actual EPS by .16 per share.

Two quarters ago, Mr. Marshall overshot in all his predictions except iPhones (5m vs. 5.21m actual) and EPS, where he fell short by .04 per share (and lost to non-pros Muller and Zaky).

Going by his track record of being short, I'd say 11.3m iPhones sold and 2.27 EPS for this quarter are sure things. But if his prediction is biased by a determination not to be caught short (and also lose) again...

Update: Since some may miss my tongue-in-cheek comment, let me add that since Mr.Marshall is a pro analyst, he certainly doesn't care about Muller, Zaky, and Deagol.

This sentence needs more work than it received. I think it easily qualifies as a run-on sentence, and the first part is awkward as well.

Here are a few iterations that seem to work much better:

Come next month, Apple is expected to announce the most successful quarter for iPhone sales, by far, in the handset's history, according to one Wall Street analyst who raised his price target on the company to $260 per share.

Apple is expected to announce the most successful quarter for iPhone sales in the handset's history, according to one Wall Street analyst who raised his price target on the company to $260 per share.

One Wall Street analyst expects Apple announce the most successful quarter ever for iPhone sales. The analyst also raised his price target on the company to $260 per share.

While you are at it, why don't you spend some time editing some of the crap that is posted here?

The iPhone is starting to look like an unstoppable train. It just keeps breaking new ground. And to think, this is just the beginning. I wonder how all those disgruntled developers feel when they see this kind of news.

Apple has no competition. Every commercial product which competes directly with an Apple product gives the distinct impression that, Where it is original, it is not good, and where it is good, it...

Originally Posted by Abster2core
While you are at it, why don't you interfere with individual's rights to freedom of speech by editing some of the crap that is posted, in order to manipulate the views that are expressed here?

is in violation of my rights.

Claiming as you did that your edit of what I wrote was Originally Posted by me is a lie.

The iPhone is starting to look like an unstoppable train. It just keeps breaking new ground. And to think, this is just the beginning. I wonder how all those disgruntled developers feel when they see this kind of news.

Well, a lot of us have been saying this for well over a year now. This is barely the tip of the iPhone iceberg.

In time, the iPhone might very well = iPod phenomenon. Some pundits are saying the game is already over for the competition (which might be a stretch, but I wouldn't be surprised.) No one can really match the gestalt of the iPhone. It's all about that sweet-spot, that magical combination between OS+hardware+apps.

The last AppleInsider article was about AT&T not selling iPhones online in NY/NJ area.

I reasoned it was because AT&T couldn't handle the NY/NJ holiday iPhone customer traffic and Apple wanted those people in THEIR stores and their web site to buy other things.

So in order to 'share the load' a excuse is made up to direct customers to Apple's stores or their web page instead, this time it's a "fraud problem", like AT&T really has a problem with that having sold millions of phones over the years and seen every sort of scam possible, then restricting the sale of only one product to only to one certain highly population dense geographical area during a peak buying season. Duh!

So this confirms my reasoning. It's not the first time AT&T has somehow used a excuse to lighten traffic to it's stores or websites concerning the iPhone.

Really deep down inside, AT&T considers the iPhone "just another phone" like all the others they sell and they rather not have foaming at the mouth Apple types in their stores.

Also Apple needs to split the stock again, the recession isn't denting it one bit.

Tripper,

You really reach for conclusions... and you even reach more when claiming confirmation.

This sentence needs more work than it received. I think it easily qualifies as a run-on sentence, and the first part is awkward as well.

Here are a few iterations that seem to work much better:

Come next month, Apple is expected to announce the most successful quarter for iPhone sales, by far, in the handset's history, according to one Wall Street analyst who raised his price target on the company to $260 per share.

Apple is expected to announce the most successful quarter for iPhone sales in the handset's history, according to one Wall Street analyst who raised his price target on the company to $260 per share.

One Wall Street analyst expects Apple to announce the most successful quarter ever for iPhone sales. The analyst also raised his price target on the company to $260 per share.

I'm not trying being a nudge but I find it interesting that time was taken to correct the grammar in the opening sentence of the article, but the same time wasn't taken to ensure the suggestions were typo-free.

I am only bringing this up because as I read through some of the threads, I come across the misuse of words, poor or wrong spelling of words and incorrect, commonly used phrases such as "intense and purposes". I reviewed the rules and I didn't see this situation addressed, which leads me to believe that one should turn a blind eye and not be so critical of a fellow poster...people make mistakes in their haste to quickly respond or carry a conversation, so one should let it go.

On the other hand, I feel that correct use of the English language solidifies a point being made because it sounds like it's coming from an intelligent, educated poster. How can one take a point or argument seriously and with credence when one uses words like 'their' instead of 'they're', 'then' rather than 'than' and, as I noted earlier, 'intense and purposes' instead of 'intents and purposes'.

Tell me to shut up and I'll......shut up. I enjoy my multiple, daily visits to AI for news, rumors, education and entertainment. (you have to admit, some of the banter is funny as hell) I view much more than I contribute so I don't want to come across like a troll or inflamer. You can possibly surmise from my user name that I am a printer/typesetter/proofreader by trade so while I don't have a degree in English or grammar, I know what proper use of words, sentence structure, correct spelling and correct grammar is, for all intents and purposes!

This is not to be taken as an attack because I have already given kudos to one of the mavens of the AI site, Solipsism. I find him intelligent, very insightful and objective, mostly because one can tell he takes the time to think before he types, unlike a lot of other regulars. That said, I was a little surprised when I read "intense and purposes" in one of his postings.

Sorry for busting balls but, because of the day I had, this bothered me a little bit. I had a client blame me for a typo which was taken from copy supplied to me.............by the client himself! He wanted to know why my spell checker didn't catch his typo. I answered "for that very reason" It's a spell checker and the word was spelled correctly, it was just used incorrectly. It turns out that his secretary caught the use of the word then, instead of than, in his own bio....after the job was printed.

I'm not trying being a nudge but I find it interesting that time was taken to correct the grammar in the opening sentence of the article, but the same time wasn't taken to ensure the suggestions were typo-free...
(post truncated for legibility)
....eye got my I on ewes.

This is all fine if you are assuming that all of the forum participants are native English speakers. That is certainly not the case here, so I suggest you look at your fellow commenters with a little bit of compassion and leniency.

Depending on the site, it may or may not be in good form to criticize the forum writers publicly of grammatical and/or typographical errors. Some authors prefer being notified privately.

Understandably, poorly crafted writing makes one wonder if it is a result of poorly crafted thought. In the end, it is up to the individual to make that judgment on a given piece of writing.

If there are factual errors, those can be pointed out publicly since they indicate incomplete research and/or sloppiness of thought, not of mundane wordsmithing.

The bill of rights doesn't cover how a private individual (or organization) regulates how others use their resources, such as a privately owned server and legitimately purchased bandwidth. However, we tend to have a fair amount of lenience over what people post, provided it's not spam, overly profane or too disorderly.

The bill of rights doesn't cover how a private individual (or organization) regulates how others use their resources, such as a privately owned server and legitimately purchased bandwidth. However, we tend to have a fair amount of lenience over what people post, provided it's not spam, overly profane or too disorderly.

free speech is very alive on this site
free speech is not free
attached is respect for your fellow man and consideration for others feelings
so jeff ,,,some one got upset about his speech or post being edited ..
its his RIGHT to get upset .
its your JOB do make sure that this site flows smoothly and fairly and
i feel you simply did your JOB
./ and i feel you have a light touch when it comes to posts here .

The last AppleInsider article was about AT&T not selling iPhones online in NY/NJ area.

I reasoned it was because AT&T couldn't handle the NY/NJ holiday iPhone customer traffic and Apple wanted those people in THEIR stores and their web site to buy other things.

So in order to 'share the load' a excuse is made up to direct customers to Apple's stores or their web page instead, this time it's a "fraud problem", like AT&T really has a problem with that having sold millions of phones over the years and seen every sort of scam possible, then restricting the sale of only one product to only to one certain highly population dense geographical area during a peak buying season. Duh!

So this confirms my reasoning. It's not the first time AT&T has somehow used a excuse to lighten traffic to it's stores or websites concerning the iPhone.

Really deep down inside, AT&T considers the iPhone "just another phone" like all the others they sell and they rather not have foaming at the mouth Apple types in their stores.

Also Apple needs to split the stock again, the recession isn't denting it one bit.

You can buy an iPhone direct from the ATT website in NY. They even have Refurbs.